A note from Aryn:

12 years! It seems impossible that much time has passed, yet here we are 12 years in on Inspire(d) Magazine, and 12 years in on our mission to make the world a better place, one community at a time.

In fact, it’s through communities that this mission has the best chance to succeed. Building communities is one of the most important things we can do on this planet, whether it’s through a book club or civil leadership or neighborhood networks or… you name it.

To celebrate that, and our 12-year birthday, we’re once again highlighting awesome Community Builders this fall. Congratulations – and a huge thank you – to the 2019 Inspire(d) Community Builders: Luke Zahm (Viroqua, WI), Emily Kurash Casey (Winona, MN), Julie Shockey Trytten (Decorah, IA), Amanda Ninneman (Caledonia, MN), and Debra Lash(La Crosse, WI). We love telling stories of folks out there walking their talks, and these people are doing just that. Check them out starting on page 34.

Anniversaries and birthdays often make us think about what’s important in our lives, what we’ve learned over the past year, and what we want to accomplish in the years ahead. The biggest, most obvious truth that comes to the top of our list every year is that people are what matter, and all people matter. I recently read an article that said, “It’s not self care we need, it’s community care,” and I realized this is the phrase I was missing. Community care! We need to Show Up for each other, in big and small ways, because often when we most need help, self care isn’t a possibility. I put together an infographic with 12 Ways to Care for Your Community – hopefully it inspires you to do some (intentional) acts of kindness in your neck of the woods!

Like every fall, there is A LOT a lot of fun to be had around here. Like heading out to apple orchards! Read about how Al Peake of Peake Orchards got his start 40 years ago in this issue’s Sum of Your Business, and see our list of apple orchards in the region – there are way more than we knew! Will you check one (or three?!) out this fall?!

Speaking of places you can check out, consider putting mills on your list! Benji Nichols explores these historic buildings dotting riverbanks in the area, and the grains they once processed (or might still today).

And in that spirit of getting out and enjoying every last lovely day, we put together a fun Mid-Wisco Road Trip for this issue. Check out what Benji and I did on our adventure from Viroqua to Richland Center to Spring Green and beyond, starting on page 56.

Thank you so much for reading Inspire(d) Magazine all these years, and for being part of this amazing community. You guys are the best. Here’s to creating a bright future together!

Looking forward,

Aryn Henning Nichols

P.S. Please let us know if you’ve got a Community Builder you’d like to nominate for the Fall 2020 Inspire(d) – email me at aryn@iloveinspired.com.

P.P.S. Are you interested in writing for Inspire(d)? Shoot me an email! I’m on the lookout for experienced writers in the Driftless (extra bonus if you live in a place we don’t cover that often – we’d love to keep expanding our coverage).

Welcome to the 2019 Driftless Food Guide! This is our second year making this Guide, and it was fun to build off our work from last year! Learn more about it and a lot of other Driftless foodie fun over at driftlessfood.com.

From the Editor:

One of my most favorite things about putting the Driftless Food Guide together (we’re on year two, hooray!) is going through the Directory listings. I just love reading people’s stories of their farms, restaurants, breweries, B&Bs, bakeries (and lots more) in their own words. You can check them out yourself starting on page 28!

Getting the stories behind the people who grow, produce, and make our local food and beverages in the Driftless – that’s the mission behind this Guide, and we’re excited to bring it to life again for 2019!

For this DFG, we’re looking at brunch! There is something so wonderful and laid-back about brunch. It says, “Hey, you’ve totally got time to go to the Farmers Market before you eat.” And, “Sure, you can have a cocktail – it’s brunch!” Plus, there are so many local foods you can work into the menu. Check out our fun spread on page 16, and learn about the producers who helped bring the ingredients to the table in the following pages.

You’ll also find Farmers Market listings, events, ideas for Going Out (of the Ordinary), and more. I just love to imagine you out adventuring and discovering in the Driftless! Read on, and get inspired to go local this year! As we like to say around Inspire(d HQ: Supporting local businesses directly invests in your community, and building communities is one of the most important things you can do in this life.

Looking forward,

Aryn Henning Nichols

Got a great story?

We’d love to hear more! There’s a finite amount of space in each Driftless Food Guide (DFG), but luckily we’ll make a new one each year. We can’t guarantee we’ll write every story we’re pitched, but can promise to learn more about and listen to your ideas!

Missed the ad deadline?

Darn, we didn’t get you in this year! No worries! We’ll make another DFG in 2020. Head on over to driftlessfood.com for more information about advertising or getting listed in the Local Producer Directory (see that on page 28).

Watch for the print version of the 2019 Driftless Food Guide showing up around the region, and in the meantime, please check it out here and let us know what you think! Thanks!